Handle for carpet sweepers and the like



July 5, 1949. F. w. PULLEN HANDLE FOR CARPET SWEEPERS AND LIKE Filed Aug. 2, 1946 Patented July 5, 1949 UNITED HANDLE FOB CARPET vSVV-EEPERS .AND THE LIKE Fred 'W. Pollen, yGrand Rapids, Mich., assigner to Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application August 2, 1946, 'Serial No. .687,851

1U Claims.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a handle structure for carpet sweepers, vacuum cleaners and the like, which enables the utilizing of rods or tubes of relatively small diameter and at the same time provide a secure connection for -the handle and socket and one eliminating relative undesired movement between the parts.

Second, to provide a handle having these advantages which is adapted for use in sockets originally designed to receive wood handles.

Third, to provide a handle structure of the character indicated which is economical to produce and at the same time, attractive in appearance.

Obiects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the descriptions to follow. The invention is defined in the claims. A preferred embodiment of the invention is i1- lustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a pian view of a carpet sweeper equipped with the handle of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view par tially in section on line corresponding to line 2--2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective exploded view illustrating the handle and socket in disconnected relation.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view through a handle illustrating a modied form of socket end or closure member.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a modified form or embodiment of my invention, the modification being in the socket engaging tangs and the adaptation to a. tubular handle shaft.

Fig. 6 `is a transverse section on line 6-6 lof Fig, 5..

Fig. 7 is a transverse section corresponding to that of Fig. 6, showing a further modification or embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 8 is a plan View of a socket end or closure member adapted for use with the handles having `four tangs.

It is generally recognized that handles for carpet sweepers, vacuum cleaners and the like, are commonly formed of wood and must be formed of high quality `stock and such stock is scarce and `suspensivo and at best such handles are quite frequently broken. The handle of my invention may be formed of light rod stock or tubular stock socket designated generally by the numeral 3 secured centrally tothe cross member thereof.

This socket comprises an outer tubular socket member 4 having laterally projecting arms 5 at its inner end embracing and 'lxedly secured to the bail. The inner tubular socket member 5 is telescoped within the outer member and is provided vvith an inner internally threaded portion TI and an outer unthreaded portion B which iits within the outer socket member. The collar or end member 9 has an inturned flange I0 at its outer end overlapping and retaining the inner member. The threads of the inner member are rolled into the same.

The handle comprises a shaft portion II having suitable grip II secured to its outer end. This shaft portion I I of the handle is of a diameter substantially less than the internal diameter of the socket. The handle shaft is provided with a transverse siot I2 at its inner end through which the blade-like tang member I3 is disposed, t-he Atang member being xedly secured in the slot and having portions projecting from the opposite sides of the slot constituting tangs. The outer edges I4 of the tangs are threaded or conformed to coact with the threads of the socket. The ,inner socket member is inwardly tapered and the tangs are correspondingly tapered so that a clamping engagement results when the handle is threaded into the socket. To close the socket and laterally support the handle, I mount thereon .a disk-like support member I5 which is adapted to t into the outer unthreaded end of the socket and constitute a socket closure member and also a support for the handle coacting with the tang preventing lateral movement of the handle shaft within the socket. This member I5 is in the embodiment illustrated secured in position on the handle .by upsetting or staking portions of the handles as indicated at I6. If desired the inner upsets I6 may be omitted.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 the socket is provided with an end or closure member I'I having a central hole I8 of such diameter as to receive the shaft of the handle and closely i'lt the same so that the cap serves to laterally support the handle. Slots I9 are provided on the member I'I to permit the tangs being passed therethrough when presented endwise.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the handle shaft 2|] is formed of tubular stock. In this embodiment four tangs 2l are provided the tang members 22 being of angle section, the handle shaft being slotted to permit the introductions endwise through the slots 23.

In vthe embodiment in Fig. 'l the handle shaft 24 has segments 25 cut from the sides thereof, these forming seats for the tang members 2B which are secured in the seats by spot welding as indicated at 21. The socket enclosure member and handle support 28 Shown in Fig. 8 is provided with a central opening 30 of a diameter to receive the handle and with four radial slots 29 adapted to receive the tangs of a four tang structure when they are presented endwise thereto.

This arrangement of parts permits the use of handle staffs formed of metal rods or tubular stock and of a diameter very substantially less than the diameter o f the socket. The handle of my invention is adapted for use with special sockets as illustrated, that is, sockets specially designed therefor or with sockets of carpet sweepers and the like now in extensive use. For example, the socket bail structure illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is quite similar to that shown in the Owen et al. Patent No. 1,621,080 issued March 15, 1927, which structure has been very widely used. I have not attempted to illustrate r describe certain other embodiments and adaptations which I contemplate as it i-s believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to adapt or embody my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claims as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination of an internally threaded socket member having an outer unthreaded portion, a rod-like handle of a diameter substantially less than the internal diameter of the socket and having a transverse slot at its inner end, a blade-like socket engaging tang disposed through and secured in said slot in haid handle and having threaded outer edges coacting with the threads of said socket, and a disk disposed on said handle at the outer side of said tang and engaging within the outer unthreaded portion of said socket and coacting therewith to laterally support the handle and constituting a closure for the socket.

2. The combination of an internally threaded socket member having an outer unthreaded portion, a rod-like handle of a diameter substantially less than the internal diameter of the socket, socket engaging tang disposed on the inner end of said handle and having threads coacting with the threads of said socket, and a disk disposed on said handle at the outer side oi said tang and engaging within the outer unthreaded portion of said socket and coacting therewith to laterally support the handle and constituting a closure for the socket 3. A combination of a threaded socket, a handle of a diameter substantially less than that of the socket and provided with laterally projecting blade-like tangs having threads on their outer edges for threaded engagement with said socket, and a socket engaging member disposed on said handle to coact with the socket when the tangs are in threaded engagement therewith to laterally support the handle, said socket engaging member being -of a generally circular outline to engage the inner periphery of the socket to prevent shifting of the handle laterally relative to the socket.

4. A handle for a -carpet sweeper or the like provided with an internally threaded socket, comprising a metal shaft portion of a diameter substantially less than that of the socket with which the handle is to be engaged,l the handle having a transverse slot at its inner end, a bladelike tang disposed in said slot to project at each side of the handle and having socket engaging threads on its side edges for threaded engagement with an internally threaded socket, and a disk-like suporting member disposed on said handle shaft of the outer side of the tang and in such relation thereto as to engage a socket into which the tang is threaded and to coact therewith in supporting the handle.

5. A handle adapted for engagement with an internally threaded socket and compri-sing a metal shaft of a diameter substantially less than the internal diameter of the socket with which it is to be engaged, a blade-like tang secured to the inner end of the handle shaft to project outwardly therefrom to provide edges disposed outwardly beyond Said handle shaft and extending longitudinally thereof, said edges being threaded for engagement with the socket, said blade-like tang being xedly secured against movement longitudinally relatively to said handle shaft, said handle shaft also having a member disposed on the outer side of the tang and adapted to engage the outer end of the socket into which the tang is threaded to coact therewith in supporting the handle shaft.

6. The combination of an internally threaded socket, of a handle having a plurality of laterally projecting socket engaging tangs secured to its inner end, said tangs having threads on their outer edges for threaded engagement with said socket, the portion of the handle within the socket being of a diameter substantially less than the internal diameter of the socket.

7. The combination of a tubular socket casing member, an internally threaded socket member disposed therein and supported thereby, an end member on said socket casing overhanging the socket end having a central cylindrical opening and opposed slots opening to the central opening adapted to central opening in supporting engagement with the edges thereof, and tangs adapted to be passed through said slots when presented endwise thereto and having threaded side edges for threaded engagement with said socket.

8. The combination of an internally threaded socket, of a handle provided with a socket engaging tang fixedly secured against movement longitudinally relative to said handle and projecting outwardly therefrom and having threads disposed along longitudinal edges thereof and radially outwardly from the handle and in coacting threaded engagement with the threads of the socket, and a socket closure member engagedly surrounding said handle and engagedly supported by said socket to laterally support the handle when the tang is in threaded engagement within the socket.

9. The combination of an internally threaded socket provided with an outer end wall having a central opening therein and slots opening to said central opening and extending laterally therefrom, a handle comprising a metal shaft portion of a diameter substantially less than the internal diameter of the socket and adapted to be rotatably engaged within said opening of said socket end wall for supporting engagement with the edges thereof, and tang-s secured to the inner end of the handle shaft and adapted to be passed through said slots when presented endwise thereto and having threaded side edges for threaded engagement with said socket.

l0. The combination of a socket casing member, an internally threaded socket disposed therein, said socket lcasing member having an end wall retaining said socket, said end Wall having a central opening therein and slots extending laterally from said opening, a handle comprising a metal shaft portion with a diameter substantially less than the internal diameter of a socket, a blade-like tang secured to the inner end of said handle and adapted to be passed through said slots of said end wall when presented endwise thereto, said tang being threaded for engagement with the threads of the socket.

FRED W. PULLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following referelnlces are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Schoenmaker July 7, 1885 Nass June 1, 1897 Benjamin Jan. 17, 1913 Owen et al. July 15, 1919 Wahl Apr. 15, 1924 Owen Mar. 15, 1927 Davis Jan. 13, 1931 Britton July 30, 1935 Demarest Nov. 9, 1937 Jones Oct. 18, 1938 Miller Jan. 14, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany May 29, 1933 Germany Feb. 13, 1936 

